US 12,669,004 B1Granted

Window balance assembly with improved mounting bracket and curl spring attachment

AssigneeVision Industries Group, Inc.

InventorsLuke Liang, David Chen

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Abstract

A window balance assembly includes: a housing with first and second interior spaces; a receiver rotatably supported in the first interior space; a curl spring disposed in the second interior space with a tail extending out of the housing; and a mounting bracket. The tail includes: a neck and a head. The mounting bracket includes first and second flanges. First and second guide members protrude from opposite sides of a rear surface of the first flange, and slidably support the tail proximate to the rear surface. First and second ramp members on the rear surface include an upper recess, and are spaced permitting passage of the neck therebetween. When the tail slides between the second guide members the ramp members force the head away from the rear surface, until the head passes beyond the ramp members. The curl spring biases the head into the recesses.

A window balance assembly comprising:

a housing, said housing defining a first interior space and a second interior space;
a receiver, said receiver being rotatably supported in said first interior space and comprising:
a cam;
a curl spring, said curl spring comprising:
a first portion disposed within said second interior space and comprising a plurality of convolutions, and a second portion configured to extend outside of said second interior space;
wherein said second portion comprises:
a neck portion, and an elongated head portion, said elongated head portion being oriented transverse to said neck portion at a distal end of said neck portion;
a mounting bracket, said mounting bracket comprising:
a first flange;
a second flange;
a first guide member configured to protrude from a first side of a rear surface of said first flange;
a second guide member configured to protrude from a second side of said rear surface;
wherein each of said first guide member and said second guide member are configured to slidably receive said second portion of said curl spring and to maintain said second portion of said curl spring in proximity to said rear surface;
a first ramp member configured to protrude from said rear surface of said first flange;
a recess formed in a top of said first ramp member;
a second ramp member configured to protrude from said rear surface of said first flange;
a recess formed in a top of said second ramp member;
and
wherein said first ramp member and said second ramp member are spaced apart to form a gap configured to permit passage of said neck portion in said gap;
and
wherein said first ramp member and said second ramp member are configured to divert said head portion away from said rear surface, when said second portion of said curl spring slides between said first guide member and said second guide member, in proximity to said rear surface, until said head passes beyond said first ramp member and said second ramp member.

18 more elements

Abstract

Claims12